SLY STONE IS THE NEW DAVID HELFGOTT

KIDS THESE DAYS

Have a lot more time for this typa thing: bloggregate, which poses a curious distinction from the "pros" on Pazz and Jop. (Here's a cool movie list.)

EMAIL EAVESDROP

Well when I was 15 I snookered my Mom into letting me spend my couple hundred dollars of savings on a new stereo, and somehow found a CU student to help me, I think he had put a Fisher 400 tube receiver in the classifieds. He did the tube lecture on me and persuaded me to spend more money on a new turntable and cartridge, which was where the sound originates. So with his guidance I got the Fisher, and his pal's two KLH bookshelf speakers used for $165 combined. Then he took me to the stereo store and hooked me up with a Philips 212 E turntable and some (probably medium-grade) cartridge, I forget the brand, but I remember him being stuckup AGAINST grado. Those days everybody was selling Marantz receivers, Technics was this new, unproven brand, and the stereo wonks put on ELP's debut to compare needles and cones. Another CU techie helped me out when a couple different tubes blew, and they always flattered me that I had a Fisher tube, it needs work but it's still in the basement. I feel incredibly lucky that I got that advice, the KLH's are still right here in my office, key speakers for almost 100 percent of my listening, although they've been worked on (crossover upgrade)...